A Larger Poetry Collection
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Even if they scattered about nonsensically, they collected on the same net.
1. Ginger-Haired

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 1, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 1 – Ron/Hermione, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 942 – black coffee, and for the Different Genre competition, genre: poetry.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
1. Ginger-Haired**

She could taste the bitter tang  
of ginger on his hair  
and hers  
was a shade too light coffee  
from not-quite-black  
coffee beans

And they made quite a recipe  
together:  
so bitter it would cause another  
to spit it all out and turn away

But maybe they'd become immune  
because Merlin knew  
how many times they'd spat their drinks  
out before,

Tried mixing sugar in,  
and even salt, for her –  
that was even more disgusting

But they developed it  
in the end.

Maybe it was an acquired taste:  
that bitterness no-one else  
could stand

But they were so used to it now  
they could not imagine things  
any other way.


	2. Like a Mother

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 2, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 2 – Harry/Ginny, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 960 – give up the ghost.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
2. Like a Mother**

She reminded him of his mother  
or how he saw his mother  
in his dreams…

Because he had never known her  
in the end, save from those dreams –  
the nightmares where her soft voice  
cried like a knife slicing cleanly  
through the skin, for the meat…  
and those other sorts of dreams  
that were gone into wisps of smelling salt  
when he awoke

But she was real, as large as life  
with her red hair bouncing  
on her back  
and yet always gone when he ran,  
tried to catch

And the stories that told of their sharp tongues –  
a tongue he had never felt

But that was before he felt her lips upon his own  
because he might not have known his mother  
but he knew _her_.

She was no ghost  
nor a memory  
but something different altogether.


	3. Just Another Lovely Couple

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 3, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 3 – Molly/Arthur, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 854 - broadway.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
3. Just Another Lovely Couple**

They walked arm in arm one night  
and were married the next  
in a shower of wand-lit sparks  
and too old dresses and a faded robe

And their union were just two lines  
at the back of the newspaper  
right next to, and above, and behind  
another

And the next day it was forgotten  
to all save they  
who walked arm in arm again  
under the moonlit sun

Because time was spinning away from them  
and they knew

They could be the next to go,  
or the next too cry for yet another  
dead, so they had no time to doubt the truth  
or strength of their love.

They didn't even have time  
to be the glimmering new couple on stage  
for a day.  
Their fifteen seconds of fame  
were already over.


	4. Made in Heaven

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem4, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 4 – James/Lily, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 530 – true love.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
4. Made in Heaven**

No-one could quite say  
how two so different people could fall in love

But they didn't know her mischievous streak  
or his serious undertone  
or the little stone of coal in her heart  
and the tint of regret in his  
or the chisel in her hand  
and the roughed up jewel in his

But that they made a perfect couple  
could not be denied  
and even those who wet the floor  
beneath them with their tears  
could not say otherwise

Because they really were a pair made in heaven  
to rip those other hearts  
who wanted him, or wanted her  
or just wanted them apart.

But once they had jumped the hurdles together  
and accepted their love,  
there really was no way to break  
them apart – because how many couples  
in the end died together

Still in love?


	5. His Brother's Love

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 5, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 5 – George/Angelina, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 539 – heart's truth.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
5. His Brother's Love**

Why did he have to love her?

She looked at him  
and saw his brother –

He knew  
but Godammit he couldn't help himself

And yet  
she was his brother's through and through  
even if she had married him now,  
carried his child…  
a ghost of a child  
they named after _him_

And he's so much like his uncle  
they both half-heartedly trilled  
and he'd give a cheesy grin  
right back, never seeing  
her glossy-greyed eyes,  
his shuttered ones

He didn't even realise  
that she was still in love with _him_

But he did know –  
and how they could envy that childish  
clarity –  
that they loved each other:  
the warmth that extended further  
than the cold marble grave.


	6. His Garden Bed

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 6, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 6 – Hannah/Neville, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 74 - Quicksand.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
6. His Garden Bed**

It's a pretty little trap  
and she can't help the fact  
that she's gotten a foot of hers stuck  
and can't come out again

And he's kindly offering a hand –  
because he remembers all those times  
where he's been stuck as well –  
and she's taking it with a beam...

And then they've both fallen clumsily  
into a garden bed, still littered  
with that old sand  
and she's brushing it off  
but he's keeping it and she stops

She hesitates: the sand still feels uncomfortable  
beneath her feet, but his flower-bed so sweet

Then she laughs and tosses caution to the wind  
because the grains of time have run thin;  
her sandals are clogged, but she no longer cares  
what fills them, what pretty little trap still cling  
to them, because she's grasping those bendy  
strong stalks with both hands now

And he's helping her up  
and out.


	7. Silver and Black

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 7, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 7 – Lucius/Narcissa, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 94 – chain.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
7. Silver and Black**

She was a Black  
but her face was a carefully crafted jewel  
and her cheeks a pale dab  
upon an elegant spread  
of silver, green and a tinge of blue

And he was the one who handed out Sickles  
where Knuts were due, and took Gallons  
as the price, whose heart was coated with a well-worn  
grease of old, to prevent a further rust

And her hands were a shimmering substance  
in a money-hungry world, not carving but rather changing  
that grease to a well-furnished oil instead  
and then that to a sweet-smelling fragrance  
long overdue

But she couldn't take full credit for that  
because she was black at heart too  
and it was her little golden boy, and golden  
strings of a harping tune  
that burnt the last of that coal away.

Still, she had her hands in it, and he in hers as well  
for the polished silver gleamed too bright,  
and that coal on its own too dull.


	8. The Monster Under the Bed

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 8, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 8 – Remus/Tonks, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 901 – exorcism.a

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
8. The Monster Under the Bed**

He was the monster under the bed  
and she was the little girl  
who, instead of screaming,  
smiled at him  
with a cheeky looking grin.

(except girls couldn't change their looks  
with the scrunch of a face  
and monsters weren't human  
for twenty-nine odd days  
but never mind that)

She was the girl who blossomed  
into a beautiful young woman  
with wit to match  
as he withered  
with the age

(never mind that age was of no relevance  
when she could change her looks  
in a flash, and his own age-lines  
were more the fault of something else)

He was the demon who struck  
the young virgin girl  
and she was the one who took him in  
instead of tossing him to the cold

(it was supposed to be "tossing him  
to the wolves" but he was one after all)

And he was the fool who fell  
hopelessly in love in return.


	9. On the Same Cloud

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 9, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 9 – Albus/Gellert, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 975 – head in the clouds. And the spelling of little as "leetle" was on purpose.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
9. On the Same Cloud**

There was a problem  
in being so far up  
in the clouds:

Everyone else  
was so far beneath,  
like a string of ants  
chasing a crumb  
from his bread

And it was honestly a bore

But then _he_ came along.  
He, with his glittering eyes  
and sharp tongue  
and even sharper ideals

And now there was no concern  
of treading on another's toes  
because their heads were mounted  
on that same pedestal cloud

And the ants got smaller and smaller  
and neither of them could care  
until one of those little black dots  
(maybe a leetle bigger on one of their four eyes)  
was red instead

And then the clouds crashed  
like a deck of cards into dust.


	10. Lady Helena

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 10, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 10 – Helena/Baron, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 924 – Lady Hel.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
10. Lady Helena**

She was a spiteful,  
wilful child

But he was still swept  
to sea by her tremulous body  
on the mast.

He'd cut her down  
if he could –  
but her tongue was far  
a weapon to be feared  
more than the sailors hooves.

Her beautiful hear was plastered  
firm upon her head  
as though a crown  
should sit there in its stead.

She had not  
the grace and beauty  
that slumbered in her blood  
and steered her stone-like arm

But it was her will that hooked him  
and pulled him in: the heart  
that would not sway

But when fantasies filled her head  
it was that same stubborn heart  
that buried their lonely  
bitter souls

In a forest squall.


	11. Toss a Curveball

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 11, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 11 – Oliver/Katie, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 900 – teasing.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
11. Toss a Curveball**

She threw a curveball  
for him to catch and keep.

He was a Keeper after all  
and she was just another Chaser  
doomed to scurry after  
opportunistic balls

And then let go of them soonafter.

It was sad,  
but it was what she did  
and for the most part she loved it.

Of course, it helped  
when he caught the balls she threw  
and passed them back,  
that small serious smile  
upon his face

And she'd flick her ponytail  
and a teasing smile his way  
and watch him catch those too

Because he was a Keeper  
who just didn't miss.

Sadly, there were other Chasers  
like her, but still she liked to believe  
their curveball wasn't as memorable  
as hers.


	12. Scars that are Reminders

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 13, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 12 – Seamus/Laavender, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 847 – beyond all repair.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
12. Scars that are Reminders**

They both had scars.

Hers, the scratches and bites  
upon he neck.

His, the skin torn  
from his face.

She went into cosmetics,  
he into research.

She tried to mend his skin;  
he tried to mend her soul.

She tried everything:  
magic and not alike  
until she was rid of most of them  
but he caught her wrist in the end.  
He wanted to keep some,  
he said to her,  
as reminders of what was  
and what had become

And she mopped up the sweat  
at his brow  
and said the same  
as he granted her her humanity  
but failed to take the bite-marks  
away.


	13. Snakes in the Grass

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 14, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 13 – Theodore/Tracey, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 983 – write sins, not tragedy.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
13. Snakes in the Grass**

They were snakes  
but their dull brown scales  
hid in the grass.

Burnt, ashen grass  
that fell about  
and they hid

Because they didn't want to burn  
or do the burning  
like those other green snakes  
about.

Sure,  
they did their share  
in the finer hours

But they both drew a line  
between bad  
and pure evil

And they hid together,  
partially wilful,  
partially in shame

And there they met,  
in the bed of ashes and dust  
that fell around

As the rest of the world fought  
and they were forgotten.


	14. His Left Hand

**A/N:** Written for the Freeverse Frenzy Competition, poem 15, for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 14 – Bellitrax/Voldermort, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 034 – public opinion.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
14. His Left Hand**

The left hand was always  
the sullied one,  
the one that ran in the soil  
and then hid her face  
in the shadows

But she wasn't the sort to hide  
and he wasn't one to hide  
his things  
in shame.

Rather, he let her be  
in her proud-lit veil

Because he enjoyed that face of hers  
which showed all there was to tell.

That left hand of his  
that he could face and deny  
and still accept  
as him

Was a beautiful woman in a demon's skin

That he could hide beneath the blankets  
to admire, or to turn aside

Because she still carried the soil  
after all  
that clung to said left hand.


	15. To Death

**A/N:** Written for the A Quest to the Unknown Challenge, the Deathly Hallows path with word: gravel, quote: "Knowledge is the true organ of sight, not the eyes" – Panchatantra and object: camera. Also for the Freeverse Frenzie Competition, poem 24. The character here is Snape; no pairings this time.

* * *

**To Death**

He had been blind,  
so blind

And now it was too late.

If only he had known…

But truly,  
what would that knowledge  
have done to him – the blind man  
who could not see the raw jewel  
buried in grains of sand…

It was too late to mourn.  
Even a camera's quick shutter  
wouldn't bring the moment back,  
shattered as it was

Into gravel  
that dug into his foolish feet  
now set on the path  
of death.


	16. Impossible Love

**A/N:** Written for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 15. Severus/Lily, for the Freeverse Frenzie Competition, poem 46, and for the Scrabble Challenge, prompt: platonic.

* * *

**A Longer Poetry Collection  
16. Impossible Love**

He knew it  
in the end –

She could never  
have loved him back

Even if  
she had never met  
another man

(Like _him_  
but that was not important  
anymore –  
if it ever was)

Because she was the perfect  
mother,  
sister,  
friend,

She couldn't be  
much more.

Perhaps he'd already dragged  
her down too far –  
and there was still more to go

(but that didn't stop him  
from going the way alone)

And he spiralled,  
spiralled,  
into a depressive coil  
that wound tight  
around his neck

Until those words, those senseless  
whispers from the fog,  
cut the strings

But he was just too far in love  
to see the fool he'd been.


	17. Brawns and Brains

**A/N:** Written for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 16. Rowena/Godric, for the Freeverse Frenzie Competition, poem 48, and for the Scrabble Challenge.

* * *

**A Longer Poetry Collection  
17. Brawns and Brains**

The brawns and the brains  
those others said.

Let them laugh  
was her reply –  
for, really, who cared  
what whispers dogged  
their steps –

They were a couple  
in bickering love  
and that was all there was to it.

His nonsensical comments  
grated her nerves; her unintelligible ones  
scraped his.

But her fists were sharp  
like a cared-for sword  
and his tongue  
yet sharper still.

She won the battles  
where brains were the  
best weapon there was;  
he won the rest

And once, in jest, she offered  
her diadem in her stead;  
he gave his sword instead

But that day they made  
the old tough smarty Hat.


	18. In the Dust

**A/N:** Written for the Pairing Set Bootcamp, pairing 17. Draco/Pansy, for the Freeverse Frenzie Competition, poem 49.

* * *

**A Longer Poetry Collection  
18. In the Dust**

She was a flabby little thing  
who hero-worshipped him

And he was just a twig –  
the cane that tapped the floor

But that  
was before the war

Had crumbled their little world.

He thought he could keep her  
to decorate the floor;  
she thought she could have him  
hold the mirror in the hall

And listen to sweet lies  
in luxury's vast lap  
while more beautiful, more worthless  
whores warmed the little bed

But they were cast together  
when the world left them behind:  
knowing how he'd been one of them,  
how she'd tried to turn _him_ in –  
the hero they all ran after  
now…

But in the dust  
they found something new  
in each other.

She'd lost some weight;  
he'd gained some

And they'd gained something more  
as well.


	19. Restraint

**A/N**: Written for the Pairing Set Boot Camp, pairing 18. Greyback/Scabior, and for the Freeverse Frenzie Competition, poem 61.

* * *

**Restraint**

It was a mix of fear  
and jealousy  
which bound his tongue.

Fear…  
because he was a man  
after all.  
Despite what he'd done,  
what he'd seen,  
watching flesh torn from flesh by rabid teeth  
still bound him still

And envy  
because those teeth, that jaw  
were _his_, not some Mudboood wretch  
on her knees

His flesh,  
his blood,  
_his_ scars –

He shouldn't scatter them  
so shamelessly about.  
Don't spread it all –  
keep it –

– was _his_.

Jealously _his_  
and he guarded what was rightfully his  
like any man would do  
once their grubby paws where  
around that prize.

Yes it cost him pain,  
but those sharp teeth and sharper nails  
were _his_

And he didn't want a Mudblood whore  
getting them.

'Kill her quick;  
it's _me_  
that you play with.'


	20. Wind and Water

**A/N**: Written for the Pairing Set Boot Camp, pairing 19. Neville/Luna, and for the Freeverse Frenzie Competition, poem 62.

* * *

**A Larger Poetry Collection  
20. Wind and Water**

She flittered with the breeze  
of time.

He floated  
on destiny's tides.

They came together  
on the foil of space –  
the place  
where the horizons met  
and coloured

Indiscriminate wisps of pale air  
that have no defined colour  
and those waves on a spectrum  
of blue

Came together  
in a wispy white blanket  
spread to where the sun touches  
the earth with its fingertips

And then they were one: wind  
and water dancing in the ripples between  
without care.

So there was no word to describe it.  
So what? Who really cared?

They could dance together,  
and they did

And that was it.


End file.
